Research Skills Big6 - Step 6. Evaluation

The purpose of this step is to take an evaluation on the product ( effectiveness) and the process (efficiency).

For the evaluation on the outcome of the project, there are two ways to check whether you do well or not. 

First, you can compare your project to the task goal set at the beginning (Big6 Step 1: Task Definition). The following questions may help you do the comparison. 
1. Did you do what you were supposed to do? Should you do something else before you turn it in?
2. Do you really understand the cause and the effect in the Food Waste issue in Hong Kong? Did you illustrate clearly in your report?
3. Is there any solution for this problem? Did HK government take any action on this issue? 4. Being a citizens, are there anything they can do? What are they?
5. Are you proud of your project and pleased to present to others?
6. If there is a chance for you to do the same project again, will you do the same way? Or is there any improvement?

Second, you can use the rubric your teacher provided to check whether you meet the target. Here is the rubric for reference.

Knowledge and Understanding	Wicked Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of the Food Waste issue. Able to critically self-assess food waste and determine the positives and the negatives of their home system.	Good Demonstrates clear understanding of the Food Waste issue. Able to self-assess food waste and determine the positives and the negatives of their home system.	Fair Demonstrates somewhat clear understanding of the Food Waste issue. Able to self-assess food waste with limited understanding of the positives and the negatives of their home system.	Poor Demonstrates somewhat clear understanding of the Food Waste issue. Able to self-assess food waste with limited understanding of the positives and the negatives of their home system.
Thinking and Inquiry	Wicked Strategies illistrate a high level of sophistication and transferable ideas. Strategies reflect soffisticated self-assesment as well as research.	Good Strategies are transferable to better other people. Strategies reflect clear self-assessment as well as research.	Fair Strategies are somewhat transferable to other people. Strategies reflect somewhat clear self-assessment as well as research.	Poor Strategies are limited. Strategies reflect unclear self-assessment as well as limited research.
Communication	Wicked Presentation is wicked. Speech and tone are dynamic, clear, and concise. Time is used effectively during class. Presentation takes all of the allotted time.	Good Presentation is almost wicked but not quite. Photos are clear and good. Speech and tone are clear and concise. Time is use effectively during class. Presentation is within time limits.	Fair Presentation is not quite wicked. Photos are somewhat clear and good. Speech and tone are somewhat clear. Time is not typically used effectively during class. Presentation is very close to the time limits.	Poor Presentation is wicked, but not in the good way. Photos are unclear. Speech and tone flat and hard to understand. Time is not used effectively during class. Presentation is nowhere near the time limits.
Application	Wicked Uses presentation program with a high level of sophistication. Uses presentation program effectively. Each of the charts is completed efficiently and clearly. Has several photos from each day.	Good Identifies photos that help illustrate the point at a good level. Followed instructions and completed each of the charts at a good level. Has at least 1 photo from each day.	Fair Identifies photos that somewhat help to illustrate the point. Uses presentation program at a limited level. Followed some of the instructions and completed each of the charts. Has some photos.	Poor Identifies photos that do not help to clearly and illustrate the point. Does not use presentation program. Did not clearly followed instructions and completed some of the charts. Has few/limited photos.

A rubric or a checklist of questions is a good way for you to judge the effectiveness and efficiency of your project. There are several websites providing assessment tools and rubrics, You can find the rubric with the topic similar to yours as a reference. You can even generate a rubric at the very first beginning at step 1 so that you can have a checklist for evaluation.

• Rubistar 
• Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything
• RCampus

For the evaluation on the process of the project (efficiency), you can think about whether you complete each steps of  the Big6 efficiently.  There are some questions you may ask at each step.

Step 1. Task Definition

“What is the aim of this project?”

Step 2. Information Seeking Strategies

“What information do I need?” 

"What search engines would I use? Am I familiar with all of them?"

"Do I know how to distinguish the first-hand or second-hand information?" 

Step 3. Location and Access

"Do I know the keywords or phrase for locating the information?"

"How can I keep the useful information so that I can read it whether I need?"

"Are the resources I have got in different formats?"

"Does it take a long time to find the resources?"

Step 4. Use of Information

"Do I grab with the skill of note-taking?" 

"Do I know what information I need?"

 "Do I use Web 2.0 tools to share the information with my group so that the process can speed-up and information is shared effectively?"

Step 5. Synthesis

"How well was I able to organize all the information?"

"How should I present my project? In Power point or in Animated Slides?"

"Do I list the resources properly with APA format?"


Now, do you have any ideas about your performance in the project?